How to Reduce Your Telecom Bills

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Do you have a “gut” feeling that you are paying too much for your telecom services?  With all of the changes in the industry, are you wondering if you even have the “right” services to run your business efficiently?  Is your IT staff so busy with “computer issues” that you just can’t ask them to do one more thing? Don’t know what to ask or who to call?

The honest truth is that if you haven’t had a professional review your telecom services in the last 18 to 24 months, chances are you are paying at least 20% too much. (Feeling worse now?)

Here are a few ways to reduce your telecom bills while getting more value for your  services:

• Review all of your telecom bills annually: voice, data, wireless conference calling, GPS, any service that results in an invoice from a carrier provider.

• Identify “dead” lines. It is not unusual to find numerous lines that cannot be identified by anyone in the company. (Not unusual at all, especially for multi-location businesses with average employee turnover.)  Dozens of “dead” but billed lines can often be disconnected with a substantial savings.

•  Match your most current contract to the first bill.  Make sure that your very first bill, after a new contract goes into effect, has been reviewed for accuracy in detail and is correct. If it isn’t, the incorrect billing will very likely follow you throughout your entire contract, often not in your favor. If this was never done, pull out your contract and go back and do it!

• Check your prices. The last 2 years have seen huge decreases in prices; the carriers won’t necessarily call you at the end of your contract to let you know that you should renew at lower prices.  “Shop” for more favorable terms on your current carrier’s existing network or take advantage of new network services of a competitive carrier at a lower cost.

• Understand your contracts. Know who all of your telecom providers (carriers) are, contract length and renewal date(s).